Professional Documents
Culture Documents
in
ZOKOASTRIAN ETHICS
By
MAGAXLAL A. BUCH, M. A.
With an Infrnrhicfion hv
BAK DA
515604
P n E FACE
ma(;am.ai. a. imcii
n
CONTENTS
hit I'uduct Lull ••• ... ••• ••• 1
I, T he Available Z u ro a s t r i a
Conditions • • • • • • • • • 30
III. Psychological Conceptions ... 41
PAKT II
Conceptions
Lidej: I'jy
INTRODUCTION
The age in which we live is distinguished
in many ways by its realism. In the realm
of " the practical " there is a wide- spread
impatience amongst the educated against the
dominance of traditional ideas tending to limit
;^(HiOX.S.'FKIAiN.'>;TKICS
of Theology.
i<:thics.
Edinburgh, 1908-1917.
Epistles of Mannshchihar. Translated
from the Pahlavi text by K. W. West. In Tlo>
190G.
Shatroiha-i Airan. Translated from the
Pahlavi text by Jivanji .lamshedji Modi.
Bombay, 1899.
BIBLIOGRAPHY 2t
London, 1912.
PART I
PreliTnincu^y
Pahlavi.
The Bundahishn (
*
original creation '
) deals
with the cosmogomy, mythology, eschatology
of the Zoroastrian faith, having been written
about A. D. 88G.
Aii/adf/arl-Zarh'an i. e., The Memoir of
Zarir. Referring to it, Firdausi says in his
introduction to Shah Namah :
'^
There was a
book of ancient times which contained many
episodes. It was scattered in the hands of
different Mobeds There was a Pehelwan of
the family of the Dehkans He was fond of
collecting materials for the history of ancient
times. So he called aged Mobeds from all
later Avesta.
i
SOCIAL CONDITIONS 35
C. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTIONS*
Advance in ethical ideas can take place in
a society only after it attains a certain amount
of knowledge concerning the nature of the
<
42 ' ZOROASTRIAN ETHICS
44 ZOUoASTinAN ETHICS
will cut off his head once, and the last time
they will make him alive again, and will
I 6 Dk. IV. 192. 1 7~I)k. IV. 224. 240. i 8 Dk. VI. 353.
48 ZOROASTRIAN ETHICS
types of intellects
(
khratit ) and two lives
CHAPTER IV
THE GENERAL MORAL ATTITUDE
First an attempt will be made' to give a
general idea of the moral attitude of the Parsi
faith and of its characteristic principles. A
clear grasp of the fundamental standpoint of
Zoroastrianism will enable us to survey the
details with greater facility.
-^ ZOROASTRIAN ETHICS
Darmesteter says :
— '* The Zoroastrian religion
content.
1 7 ERE V. 516.
CHAPTER V
THE VALUE OF LIFE INDUSTRY :
AND INDOLENCE
The essentially positive character of the
Zoroastrian ethics is best brought out by its
70 ZOROASTRIAN ETHICS
dog '^
is guilty of the same guilt as though he
should serve bad food to a master of a house of
the first rank." "^
Thus the shepherd's dog is of
decisions." -
Similar emphasis is placed upon truthfulness
in the other Pahlavi literature. A man should
live according to the principles of truth. -^^
-"
be trustworthy." Falsehood is to be subdued^
by truth/^ "Tell not lies to anybody." ^^^
Truth-
fulness is not compatible with hypocrisy or
double-dealing. ''
Do not speak doubly ( in
other words do not say one thing to one
man and another to another )/' ^''-
Men are
taught by the devil to be hypocritical and
to conceal true facts. Honesty is insisted
on and theft condemned. '^
Requite a trust-
worthy man according to the terms of your
contract with him.''^''- <' Take not anything from
a thief or give not anything to him but bring
him round." '- "Prevent your hands from
stealing." ^^ **
Break no kind of promise what-
^^
soever so as to tarnish your good name.'"
"That land is the happier, in which a righteous
man, who is true speaking makes his abode "^^-^
Truthfulness is reckoned the second good work
which enables a man to attain heaven. -^^^
2 9 An Atm. 'A.
•«•»
An Atni. 8. ^7 Mkh. 75.
^"^ An Atm. 7. •^ An Atni. S. -^ Mkh. 53.
TRUTHFULNESS AND DECEIT 95-
this occupation.""'^
A man '^
must consider this world to be an inn
and his body to be the receptacle of his soul
and must make good deeds his own/'^*^^ ''Be
not proud of your wealth and goods in this
world, for this world's wealth is like a bird
that tiies from tree to tree and never has its
3 Dk. IX. G09. 5 Dk. Bk. VIII. US. 7 yd. XIV. 15.
4 J)k. IX. G40. c Vt. V. 87 ; XV. 39-41.
THE ETHICS OF SEX RELATIONS 113
2 Vd. XV. 9.
2 1 Pand-namak-i-Aturpat-i-Maraspandau XLII.
2 2 An. Atm. 3. ^3 Vd. XIV. 15. 2 4 Ys. LIII. 5.
:
may "^^
necessary for thee so that I do it?
man." ''^
The Dadistan-i-Dinik, says that Vadak,
the mother of Dahak was the first to commit
adultery; ''and by it all lineage is disturbed,
control is put an end to, and without the
authority of the husband an intermingling of
son with son occurs."""^ Adultery is a very
is ''
about the sin of giving a girl for a girl,
'
Do thou go in unto my sister or daughter,
while I too, will go in unto thine.' " '^ A father
is sinful who harbours a paramour to satisfy
intercourse.'^^
*'
Each one of them marries several legitimate
wives and acquires for himself yet several more
concubines.""" Rut very definite conclusions
BENEVOLENCE 135
return." ^*^
**A man gets respect and glory
among men through charity by which the world
becomes easy and happy." -^ " An exalted final
life is through charity and charity is for an
21
exalted final life."
-^
after feeding the needy."
»2 An Atm. 1
;
BENEVOLENCE 143
"^"^
protected in this world by philanthropy.
^'
One should have regard and affection for
10
146 ZOKOASTKIAN ETHICS
world." '^'^
If one sets his heart on obtaining
material wealth, he cannot obtain reverence
and honour.^^ Anger makes man ungrateful
and gives him strength to do evil deeds. ^- A
man should subdue anger by the spirit of
endurance.'-^ The suppression of wrath is one
of the ways of arriving in heaven. '^'^ ''
In
power he is the more seemly who, when he
indulges his wrath, is able to allay the wrath,
and not commit sin and gratify himself." '^^
f'« AV. 189, 174, ITS. 9 3 Dk. IV^ 233. 96 yd. I. 11.
9iMkh;73. 9 4 Sd. 306. ' 97 Ys. XXXIII. 6.
9 2 Mkh. 9. , -9 5 sd. 356. >> An Atni. 7.
148 ZOROASTRIAN ETHICS
MINOR VIRTUES
We will now deal with other virtues and
Tices which receive less elaborate treatment
in the Zoroastrian writings than those already
mentis ned. The reverence for authority, es-
99
MINOK VIRTUES 14i^
of these persons :
" What is your will ? So
that I may think and speak and do it."^^
is
(
^ upazanas ' ), with the two implements, aspahe
ashfra ( the horse whip ) and the Sraosho-
charana (scourge). The lowest penalty is that
of five stripes, the highest is that of ten
^^'
sheep-contract, with seven hundred stripes ;
wound '
the punishment is fifty stripes for the
first ofif'ence, which is raised to two hundred
stripes, for the fourth repetition. -"^
(6) Asto-hid
'*
bone-breaking.' The first oflPence is punishable
with seventy stripes and the tanafur is
19 Vd. IV. 30, 33. 2 t Vd. IV. 40, 42. 2 ^ Sd. 327.
«o Vd. IV. 34, 36. 2 3 Sd. 326.
2 1 Vd. IV. 37, 39. 2 4 Sd.327.
17J ZOKOASTKIAN ETHICS
t Ys. XXX. 3. -i
Bd. I. 16. « Bd. I. 22.
« Ys. XXX. 4 4 Bd. I. 3.
:
monistic.
death /''^
He is a tyrant, and the worst liar.
^'
Hear ye then with your ears ; see ye the
exertion. ^'
It is not possible to provide for
one's self, through exertion, that benefit which
is not ordained ; but a morsel of that which is
'*
Expiation is that wherein one is in contri-
everlasting;" ^"^
Along with this belief appear
Agriculture 32, 33, 34, 76, Avarice 144, 145, 146, 163,
77, 78, 79, 80, 162.
BAODHA 42, 48, 49, 50.
Aliriman 52, 70, 97, 100,
Bareshnum 101.
147, 155, 156, 160, 176,
Bartholomae C. 135.
184, 195, 196,
Benevolence see Charity.
Aim 41, 42, 49, 50. Body 46, 47.
Ahura Mazda 25, 29, 36,43, Bodily injuries 162, 172,
45, 59, 70, 73, 74, 76, 77, 173.
78, 87, 108, 111, 122, 133, Bribery 93.
140, 141, 156, 162, 180,
182, 183, 184, 194, 195, CAMA 49, 50.
196. Camel 33.
Airyana-vaega 31. Carlyle 76.
Akho see Ahu. Casartelli Dr. 41, 181.
Alexander 39. Casuistry 96.
Amesha Spenta 70, 97, 183. Celibacy 65, 75, 111.
Araretat 70, 183. Charity 66, 106, 107, 108,.
Anaperetha 167, 191. 133, 134, 135, 136, 137^
Anger 146, 163. 138, 139, 140, 141, 142,,
nashni 62.
88.
Mani 40.
Innate reason 51.
Manichaenism 27, 40.
Inspiration 184.
Manufacture 34, 38, 78.
Intellect 50.
Margarjan 168.
Intellij'ence 50, 51.
Marriage 65, 74, 79, 111,
112, 177.
J AH I 122, 123. Marriage — age 114.
Jaini J. L. 63. Mazdak 40.
Jamshid 82. Medicine 34.
^Jan 42. Mercy 106, 107.
Jaoshi Khratu 50. Metals 34.
Jealousy 146, 163. Might 73.
Justice 93, 160. 161, 162, Mill Dr. 193.
163. Millennium 194.
Misappropriation 92, 95,
KARMA 55, 62. 96.
Khart 42, 50. Mithra 73, 90.
200 INDEX-
INDEX 201
H
Some Preliminary Announcements
OF
Edited by
The Manager,
By
ALBAN G. WIDGERY
The Manager.
THE COLLEGE, BARODA.
IMMORTALITY
AND OTHER ESSAYS
BY
ALBAN (;. WIDGERY
The Manager,
THE COLLEGE, BARODA.
THE CONFUTATION OF
ATHEISM
Translated by
VALI MOHAMMED CHHAGANBHAI MOMIN.
The Manager,
THE COLLEGE, BARODA.
In the Prexs
CONTENTS.
INTRODUCTION ScientiHc Theology : and the
Comparative Study of Religions
I. Tlie Sources and Nature of Religious Truth.
II. Supernatural Beings, (iood and Bad.
III. The Soul its Nature, Origin, and Destiny.
:
and Index.
The Manager,
THE COLLEGE, BARODA.
In preiKiration
Some Contribntors
Shams-ul-l'lama J. J. Modi C. I. E., Ph. 1).,
The Very Kev. Hastings Rashdall, D. Lit D.C.L. :
The Manager,
THE COLLEGE, BAKODA.
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